Puma helicopter 50th anniversary paint scheme unveiled
They landed at Middle Wallop just after 3.30, but only 9 of them. Work stopped and a crowd gathered to watch them land and shut down. Looked very good, glad I was there.
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Reminds me of happy times at Odiham and Aldergrove in the early seventies. I think the first Puma I saw was on the back of a low loader on the A30 returning I think from Stamford PTA where it had suffered a fairly catastrophic tail strike. I seem to remember there was some suggestion that the tail rotor was not revolving when it hit the ground but I believe this was subsequently disproved. Also recall the famous (at the time) incident when a Puma hit the hangar at the Aldergrove SH dispersal when taxiing in. The flying officers union at the time reckoned we could absolve the pilot from blame because there was a flying order that said in strong winds aircraft could be taxied into the hangar! Ultimately the captain was removed from the force and sent to the SAR world which is where he wanted to be anyway.
Great times and great memories of the Wessex/Puma rivalries and the outrageous (by current woke standards) happenings.
Great times and great memories of the Wessex/Puma rivalries and the outrageous (by current woke standards) happenings.
The "Flag" flown "backwards"....just fitting in with the times ya suppose?
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It used to be used as a sign of being in distress SAS.
http://projectbritain.com/geography/unionjack7.html
It is / was the same for your flag BTW
https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/xf-flip.html
To deliberately fly the flag upside down is a signal indicating a situation of 'DISTRESS'. It is also "lese Majeste" (which means: insulting the Crown), and is theoretically still a crime in the UK and its commonwealth!
http://projectbritain.com/geography/unionjack7.html
It is / was the same for your flag BTW
https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/xf-flip.html
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The flying officers union at the time reckoned we could absolve the pilot from blame because there was a flying order that said in strong winds aircraft could be taxied into the hangar! Ultimately the captain was removed from the force and sent to the SAR world which is where he wanted to be anyway.
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Isn’t that when the line got painted on the apron?
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" They were routed to pass over Stafford. Given how essential TSW has been to the Puma force and other rotary assets over the decades I'm sure this was intentional."
As did the Tornado 3 ship. Apparently, according to friends who live near Stafford, their transit caused "some alarm " to the newer arrivals around Beaconside seemingly unaware of Staffords history.
As did the Tornado 3 ship. Apparently, according to friends who live near Stafford, their transit caused "some alarm " to the newer arrivals around Beaconside seemingly unaware of Staffords history.
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I wish I’d seen those Tornadoes dropping in for a refuel.
Give it time. Anyone warned Monaghan?
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Crab, not to mention Dundalk….but in all meanings of the phrase, “let’s not go there”!
IWM Duxford
I was at IWM to see they fly over so here are my photos
cheers
cheers
Crab, not to mention Dundalk….but in all meanings of the phrase, “let’s not go there”!
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They're all the same colour in the dark....or so I was told..
Well the Puma has certainly given excellent service to the RAF!
Back in 1976 I was serving at RAF Brawdy and we did a commemorative event for the Hunter's 25th anniversary, with 4 of us in F6As joining up with a T7 which had Neville Duke on board. But it was deemed 'not a good thing' to celebrate in the meeja, according to MoD PR, because 'flying aircraft that old puts the RAF in a bad light'.....
Yet now the RAF celebrates 50th anniversaries. How times change!!
Back in 1976 I was serving at RAF Brawdy and we did a commemorative event for the Hunter's 25th anniversary, with 4 of us in F6As joining up with a T7 which had Neville Duke on board. But it was deemed 'not a good thing' to celebrate in the meeja, according to MoD PR, because 'flying aircraft that old puts the RAF in a bad light'.....
Yet now the RAF celebrates 50th anniversaries. How times change!!
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It’s a testament to the design that the Airforce appears to be struggling to find a replacement for it, and to think back in 76 we thought it would never last.
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